The recent trade mission from Belgium to Japan has been a success! The group, consisting of prince Filip, Lieten, Marcourt, and Cerexhe were also accompanied by 229 representatives from the business world, 70 Flemish companies, and 59 from the Walloon and the Brussels-Capital regions. Together they traveled to Tokyo and Osaka and were able to sign some contracts with Japanese partners only one day after their arrival.

“Japan will be the fourth big investor in Flanders” said Claire Tillekaerts, CEO of FIT (Flanders Investment and Trade) The country is mainly interested in Flandres’s chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological expertise. Already 45 percent of Flemish chemical exports are headed to Japan. Also notable is the Walloon exports to Japan that have increased during 2009-2010 by an impressive 29.9 percent.

“Everyone knows the ‘Brussels’ brand,” concludes Cerexhe “it attracts people; this is beneficial for us as well as for them.”